Stop mechanism for can conveyers



Nov. 14, 1944. H, D, AYARS 2,362,792

STOP MECHANISM FOR CAN CONVEYERS Filed Dec. 24, 1942 e Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 14, 1944; AYARS 2,362,792

STOP MECHANISM FOR CAN CONVEYERS I Filed Dec. 24, 1942 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Nov. 14, 1944. H. D. AYARS 2,352,792 STOP MECHANISM FOR (BAN CONVEYERS Fild De c. 24-, 1942 e Sheets-Sheet s Nov. 14, 1944. H. D. AYARS STOP MECHANISM FOR CAN CONVEYERS I 6 SheetsSheet 4 Filed Dec. 24, 1942 Nov. 14, 1944.

H. p. AYARS STOP MECHANISM FOR CAN CONVEYERS Filed Dec. 24, 1942 6. Sheets-Shet 5 Nov. 14, 1944. D, I 2,362,792

STOP MECHANISM FOR CAN CONVEYERS Filed Dec. 24, 1942 "6 Sheets-Sheet e Patented Nov. 14, 1944 's'roP MECHANISM FOR CAN CONVEYERS Harry D.- Ayars, Philadelphia,Pa.,' assignor to 'C'ontinental Can Company; ,Inc.,- Ncw York,

N. Y., a corporation of New York p 4; 1942, Serial No. 470,066

,9 Claims. (61.193 40) Application December 2 Theqinvention rel-ates to the 'new and useful improvement in a stopmechanism for stopping the flow of cans to a mechanism operating thereon. v v

An object of the invention is'to provide a stop mechanism which will contact with the body of a moving can for stopping the travel thereof so as not to jam or marthe surface of the can body. I

A further object of the invention is to provide a stop mechanism ofthe above character, which includes a stop member moved intothe path of travel of the can body by a cam which is spring actuated and soshaped as to positively hold the stop member in a position for stopping the can,

A further object of the invention is to provide a sto mechanism of the above type, wherein the cam is operated'by powerstored in aspring,

which inturnis controlled by a float in thetank' of the filling machine. v

Figure'8 is a diagrammatic view showing the circuit for the solenoid controlled by the can'ends in the stack.

The stop mechanism embodying the invention is shown as employed in connection with a machine for filling cans andfor closing the sain'ef The empty cans'are fed into a chute which discharges the cans one after anotheronto a timing mechanism which delivers the cans inspacedrelation to each other to the filling machine. This timing mechanism is so constructed that it re ceives the can bodies from the chute in horizontal position and turns the can bodies into avertical' position ready for filling asthey are delivered to which'cam is held bya latch in'inoperative position so that when the latch is released, the stored v power will mov the cam for stopping the flow of cans; f.

A further object of the invention is to provide a stop mechanism of the above type wherein a solenoid is connected to the latch'for operating the same. t I A still further object of the invention is to provide a stop mechanism of the-above type wherein member is moved into the pathof'trave-lof' the cans." The stopmember is movedby a cam'whichf V, is so shaped that it shifts said stop member into the pathof movement of the cans and positively holds the same in can' stopping position." The cam for shifting thestop member is actuated by power stored in the spring; and a latch is pro-Y manual means is employed for returning the cam to latched positionand'storing power in the springfor operating the same. v

These'an'd other objects will in part-be obvious and will in closed.

In the drawings; which show by way of illusitration one embodiment 'of-theinvention;

- Figure 1" is a' side view of a conveying means for conveying-can bodiesfto a combined'filling and closing machine, and showing partly in section my improved stop mechanisnhwhich' is employedfor stopping the flow creams.

' Figure'2is a plan view of the-same.

Figure 3 is an enlargedsectional'view of the stop mechanism showing the stop member in'inoperative position. I r v p Figure! is a view like Figure'3'butsho'wing the the filling machine.

The invention has to doparticularly with the control of the flow of cans to the timing mecha:

nism. The cans pass through the chute by'gravity, and in order to stop the flowof cans a stop vided for holding the cam in its inoperative p osi-' tion. When the latch is released, the cam is 2 turned so as to force the stop member into the :part 'behereinafter more "fully disstop member moved into' position "iorstopping v the cans.

Figure 5 is a sectional Figure 6 is a diagrammatic view showing the circuit for energizing the solenoid connected to' a manually operated switch.

Figure 7 is a diagrammatic view showing the circuit for the solenoid as controlled by a "switch view through the stop mechanism on the line 5-5 of' Figure 3;"the" solenoid coil being diagranu'natically illustrated."

path of travel of the cans for stopping the same. The latch is controlled by means of a solenoid.

This'solenoidis connected to several 1mins so that it maybe operated under various independ I ent conditions, such, for example, as when the liquid product in the'tank of the filling machine dropsto a certain predetennined level, orwhen the covers in the stack for the closing machine give out, or when the operator, for. any reason wishes to stop the 'flowof cans rather than to stop the entire unit.

' Referring morein detail timing mechanism which receives the cans from the chute conveyer is indicated at I. This tim+ ing mechanism includes a shaft 2 which is rotated from the operating mechanism ofthe fill- I ing machine to which thecans are delivered by the timing mechanism. The timing'device also A includes a suitable supporting frame 2a in which" rods 2bare mounted, and on the ends of these rods 'are'supported yoke members 2c, '2: and the 1 shaft 2 is'journalled in these yoke members.

'filling machine and the operating m g h t t d w h sihe nism therefor is not shown, but may be of any desired type.

Mounted on the shaft 2 is a drum 3 provided with a spiral web 4 which receives the cans therebetween and delivers them to the filling machine.

The cans are delivered to the timing screw through a chute which as shown is vertically arranged directly over the timing screw. This chute includes a front member 5 and a rear member 6, also side members 1, 1. Within the chute are supported guide rails which may be shifted relative to the walls of the chute for adapting the chute so that it may be used for conveying cans of diiferent sizes.

, Mounted in the rear member. 6 are two supporting devices 8, 8. carry a plate 9 located inside of the rear member. This plate carries ribs l0, H), which are spaced from each other and serve as the guiding rails for the can bodies. These members 8, 8, which support the plate 9, may be adjusted so as to shift the plate relative to the rear side thereof for accommodating can bodies of difierent diameters.

In Figure 1 of the drawings there are shown can bodies of three different diameters. The larger can is indicated at C, the smaller can at C and the can of intermediate diameter at C The front side of the chute 5 is provided with spaced guiding rails ll, II,- and these are fixed so that the canis guided along these rails regardless of the size of its diameter, and the rails l0,- Hl carried at the rear side of the chute are shifted so as to bring them, within guiding range of the can bodies which are passing through the chute. There are plates 13, l3 supported in the end walls in asimilar manner so that they may be adjusted, and these plates carry guiding rails which are arranged adjacent the path of travel of the ends of the canbodies and these guide rails determine the path of travel of the cans,

The cans are moved through the chute by gravity, and are taken from the lower end of the chute by a timing screw. The stack of cans in the chute will rest on the spiral web of the timing device and will drop one by one in between the turns of the web, and therefore they are taken from the chute in certain timed relation and spacing for delivery to the pockets of the filling machine. I Associated with the timing screw is a guide rail I4. This guide rail is provided with a laterally projecting arm" l5 whichis adjustably mounted on a bracket [6 carried by the front wall of the chute for conveying the cans. The arm is provided with a slot l1 and is secured tothe bracket by means of a screw l8. The other endof the guide rail is attached to a Supporting bracket l9 which is mounted on the frame carrying the timing shaft. The bracket i9 is likewise connected' to the frame by a bolt and slot connection so that the guide rail may be adjusted bodily toward and from the timing shaft. This guide rail is shaped so that the cans which are received on the timing'scr'e'w are carried by thetiming screw against the guide rail which will contact therewith at one end of the can and above the can so as to force the end downward and cause the can to turn around the drum to an upright position. Cans, of course, are placed in the conveyer so that when turned by the timing screw to an upright position, the open end is properly positioned for the filling of the can. The can passes beneath a plate 20 mounted on the yoke member 20. and this plate may be raised or lowered on the supporting bracket 2| therefor so as to position These supporting devices the same for can bodies of different sizes. As the can body passes from beneath this plate 20, it moves into the pocket of the filling machine.

It is often desirable to stop the flow of cans to the filling machine without stopping the filling machine or the closing machine associated therewith. For this purpose a stop mechanism has been provided which is the essential feature of the invention. This stop mechanism includes an arm or stop member 22 which is pivotally mounted at 23 in a housing 24 which is bolted to the front wall or side of the conveyer for the cans. This arm 22 is curved at the lower end thereof inwardly toward the chute, as indicated at 25. Said arm may be provided with a pad on its inner face for contact with the can bodies passing down through the chute. When this stop arm is in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the cans will pass by gravity through the chute without contacting with the arm. When the arm, however, is shifted to the position in dottedlines in Fig. 1 and in full lines in Fig. 4, then the can body will contact with the arm. Inasmuch as the guide rails carried by the front side portion 5 of the conveyer chute are fixed and the other guide rails are adjusted for different size cans, the path of travel of the can bodies regardless of their size will be along the guide rails I l, H carried by this front wall 5.

This stop member is shifted into a position for stopping the flow of the cans .by means of a cam 26. This cam 26 is inthe form of a face cam on a sleeve 21. The sleeve 21 is secured to a shaft 28 which is journalled in a bearing 29 carried by the housing 24. The cam 26 is gradually curved outwardly and extends around the sleeve 27 through an angle of substantially degrees. Whenthe cam is so positioned that the arm or stop member 22 contacts with that portion which is farthest from the center of the conveyer chute, then the stop arm is so positioned that the cans will pass freely by the same. When, however, the cam is turned to this angle of 180 degrees, it will positively force the stop arm into the path of travel of the can and thus stop the flow of the cans.

The cam for shifting the stop member is rotated by a coil spring 30. In this coil spring power is stored for operating the cam and the cam is held in inoperative position by a latch. When the latch is released, the cam is turned and moves the stop member into the path of travel of the cans. If a can is passing the pad on the stop arm so that the pad contacts with it near its horizontal diameter, there is not enough tension in the spring to cause the [cam to turn and the stop member to jam the can, Just as soon,

however, as the can passes the stop arm, it will be quickly sprung, by the spring jamming the cam to a position which will stop further flow of cans. When thetstop arm is in position to stop the cans,.it is positively held in this position by the cam, asthe stop arm cannot move to retracted position until the cam is returned to its inoperative position. In the present embodiment of the invention the spring 30 at one end is attached to a lug on the housing, This spring partially encircles the cam sleeve 21, lying in a groove 32 therein and serves as a means in which power can be stored for rotating the cam to force the stop member into the path of travel of the can. Mounted on the shaft28 carrying the cam is a disk 33 provided with a projecting lug 34. Cooperating with this disk 33 i a latch 35. Said latch is pivoted at 3511 the housin and is provided with a shoulder 3'! which is adapted 1 0b? and to the coil of the solenoid 40.

, moved into-the path of the'lugv 34'on the.disk.33.

Whenthe shaft is turned in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 5, the spring willbe put under tension and power stored in thespring forrotating the shaft and the cam. When this shaft is On the outer end of the shaft-.28 is arelatively large wing sleeve 39. This wing sleeve is fastened to the shaft and is adapted'to be turned manually for storing power in the spring and moving the spring 38 attached to the latchwhich presses it downwardly into the path of the lug 34.

cam to inoperative position while the latch will engage 'the'lug and holdthe camin this inoperative r position until the latch; v

- Mounted-in the housing is a solenoid 40. Associated with the solenoid 40 is a movable core member 4i of the'usual type. The lower end of the core member is forked so as to straddle alink 42 which is pivoted to the core member. This link is also pivotally connected to the latch so that when the'core member is raised, the latch will be raised and release the spring so that it will operate to turn the shaft 28 and the cam 26 mounted thereon for forcing the stop member into the path of travel of the cans.

it is released by the lifting of -Mounted on the housing 24 is a switch operated by a push button 43. The circuit from a source ofsupply to the coil of thesolenoid 40 is indicated at 44, in Fig. 6 of the drawings; This circuit ineludes the manually operated-push button switch 43.{ Whenever the operator for any reason desires to stop theflow of cans, allthat is necessaryisto push 'this button 43 and it will close the circuit. energizing the solenoid'so thatthe core. thereof is lifted and the latchreleased. This provides a means whereby the flow of cans to the filling and v closing, machine may be stopped at any time with: out stopping the filling machine or the closing machine.

In- Fig. '7 of the drawings, there'is illustrated diagrammatically the tank of the filling machine the cans, thus stopping further delivery of cans to the timing mechanism. Thus, cans which have been delivered to the timing mechanism, will pass into the filling machine, which is not stopped, and

1 through the filling machine to the closing machine which likewise is not'stopped, so that the filling and closing unit will clear itself of cans.

Ii there arenocoversto close the cans, then. of course, the feed of the cans to the filling machine should be stopped. A control of the solenoid for stoppingtheflow of cans when the covers in the stack give out is shown diagrammatically in Fig. 8. The stacked cancovers are indicated at 53. Associated therewith is a mercoid switch 54 which is pivoted at 55, and this switch is connected' to a member 56 associated with the stack holder so that when the can covers stacked in said holder are exhausted or substantially so, the member 56 will move into the stack and shift the mercoid switch so as toclose the circuit 51 associated therewith. This circuit 51 is connected to .a' source of supplyand to the coil ofthe solenoid 40. When theswitch is shifted to close the circuit by thegiving out of the covers in the stack, the

's'olenoid is energized, the latch lifted and'the stop member moved into the path of the can bodies forstopping the same. I

While the invention for stopping the flow of cans is shown as applied to the feeding of can bodies to a filling'machine, it will be understood gravity, other types of feeding mechanisms may construction illustrating the embodiment of the I whichisu'pplies the liquid to the cans forfilling the cans. In this tank is a fioat 45. The float'is carried-by a lever '46 pivoted to the frame at 41. This lever is connected to a vertically reciprocatingbar 48 which may be a part of the mechanism for controlling the supply of liquid product to the tank. The bar 48 is connected to the lever at 49. Mounted above the bar 48 is a mercoid switch 50. This mercoid switch is pivoted at 5| and overlies the bar 48 so that when the bar is raised the-lefthand end of the switch, as shown in Fig. '7, will be raised. This will cause the mercury in the switch to move away from the contacts and break the circuits controlled thereby, which is indicated at' 52 in the drawings. When, however, the float wise direction to a position where the'mercury 'will flow outward and close the circuit. This circuit 52 is connected to a suitablesource of supply Therefore,

when the liquid product in the tank reaches a point where there is no product to be filled into the cans, the mercoid switch will be closed, the

solenoid 40 energized, the latch raised and the stop member moved into the path of movement of be used for feeding, the cans. it being essential, however, that the meanswhich moves the cans that'are to be stopped in their path of travel, shall be of a character that the flow of cans may be stopped.

It is'also to beunderstood that the details of invention may be greatly varied without departing from the spirit of the invention as set' forth in the appended claims.

I'claim: '1. A can conveyer including in combination, means for directing cans in successio'n'in a single line of travel, a stop member movable into the path of travel of the cans, a cam for moving said stop member into engagement with the cans, a spring in which power is stored for moving the cam, a latch for holding the cam from movement by the spring, and a control means operating to release the latch to permit the cam to be moved and the stop member shifted into ,the path of travel of the cans.

2. A can conveyer including in combination, means for directing cans in succession in a single line of travel, a stop member movable into the path of travel of the cans, a cam for movingsaid stop member into engagement with the cans, a

' spring in which power-is stored for moving the mitting the stop member to move out of the path thereby when energized for lifting the latch to permit the cam to be moved and the-stop member shifted into the path of travel of the cans.

4. [A can conveyor including in combination, means for directing cans in succession in a single line of travel, a stop member movable into the path of travel of the can-s, a cam for moving said stop member into engagement with the'cans, a

spring in which power is stored for moving the cam, a latch for holding the cam from movement by the spring, a solenoid, devices operated thereby when energized for lifting the latch to permit the cam to be moved and the stop member shifted into the path of travel of the cans, and manually controlled means for returning the cam to latched position, storing power in the operating spring therefor and permitting the stop member to move out of the path of travel of the cans.

5. A can conveyer including in combination, means for directing cans in-succession in a single line of travel, a stop member movable into the path of travel of the cans, a cam for moving said stop member into engagement with the cans, a spring in which power is stored for moving the cam, a latch for holding the cam from movement by the spring, a solenoid, devices operated thereby when energized for lifting the latch to permit the cam to be moved and the stop member shifted into the path of travel of the cans, and a circuit for supplying current to the solenoid for energizing the same, said circuit including a control switch.

6. A can conveyor including in combination, means for directing cans in succession in a single line of travel. a stop member movable into the path of travel of the .cans, and a spring actuated cam for moving the, stop member into the path of the cans and means for controlling the operation of the spring actuated cam, said cam being so disposed as to positively restrain said stop memberfrom movement when in engagement with the cans.

'7. A can conveyer including in combination, means for directing cans in succession in a single line of travel, a stop member movable into the path of travel of the cans, a shaft mounted for rotation about an axis intersecting the stop member, a sleeve mounted on said shaft and. having a segmental cam on the end thereof adapted to engage said stop member for moving the same into the path of the cans when the shaft is rotated in one direction and for releasing said stop member when the cam is rotated in the opposite direction.

8. A can conveyor including in combination, means for directing cans in succession in a single line of travel, a stop'member movable into the path of travel of the cans, a shaft mounted for rotation about an axis intersecting the stop member, a sleeve mounted on said shaft and having a segmental cam on the end thereof adapted to engage said stop member for moving the same into the path of the cans when the shaft is rotated in one direction and for releasing said stop member when the cam is rotated in the opposite direction, and a spring for rotating said shaft in the direction for moving the stop member into the path of the cans, a latch for holding thecam from movement by the spring and means for releasing the latch to permit the cam to move the stop member.

9. A can conveyer including in combination, means for directing cans in succession in a single line of travel, a stop member movable into the path of travel of the cans, a shaft mounted for rotation about an axis intersecting the stop member, a sleeve mounted on said shaft and having a segmental cam on the end thereof adapted to engage said stop member for moving the same into the path of the cans when the shaft is rotated in one direction and for releasing said stop member when the cam is rotated in the opposite direction, a spring for rotating said shaft in the direction for moving the stop member into the path of the cans, a latch for holding the cam from ,movement by the spring, a solenoid connected to I the latch for releasing the same to permit the cam to move the stop member, a circuit for energizing said solenoid, a switch in said circuit and means for closing the switch when it is desired to stop the flow of the cans.

HARRY D. AYARS. 

